


one day we will meet again

by ultraviolet289



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, F/M, Missing Persons, Some Cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24655753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolet289/pseuds/ultraviolet289
Summary: But before he could finish his question, she had hung up. Silence filling his ears, Ricky sat on his bed, stunned. She had just called him. Nini had just called him. After almost five months of complete radio silence, he had just heard her voice. He had just spoken to her. The love of his life had just spoken to him for the first time in five months.---------Nini had disappeared. Gone in the dead of night. Missing for months. Ricky has been struggling to make it through the days, but one day a phone call changes everything.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59





	one day we will meet again

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Another one shot for you. I have officially decided to abandon "There are Villains Everywhere." I really tried to keep writing it but I just COULDN'T. I am so, so sorry to anyone who liked that story. I know how frustrating it is when writers abandon their pieces, but I rather leave it now then write a crappy ending. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this story. I got the inspiration for this concept from a Rini wattpad pic. I forgot what it was called but if you happen to come across it one day, just know that they thought of it first lol. Other than the missing person/birthday concept (you'll see) this was my own work.
> 
> Enjoy!

147 days. 147 days Ricky had woken up without a “good morning” text. 147 days since he noticed a hoodie go missing. Since he kissed her lips and tasted the remnants of an over sweetened chai tea latte. 147 days without the smell of her hair, the sound of her voice. 147 days wondering where the hell she could have gone and what happened. 147 days since Nini Salazar Roberts vanished off of the face of the Earth. 

He remembered the day all too well. And of course he tried to forget _so_ many times. But no matter what, the image—the feeling—of that morning stuck with him. Ricky was parked in her driveway, waiting for her so they could go to school. She was taking a little longer than usual, and plus she hadn’t texted him that morning. Ricky figured that she slept in and was rushing to get ready, so he just sat and waited.

Eventually five more minutes passed. Then ten. Class would start in—Ricky checked his watch—seven minutes. It wouldn’t hurt to check on her, he guessed. He opened the door without knocking and greeted Nini’s parents as they sipped coffee together at the kitchen counter. He briefly questioned their daughter’s whereabouts, but Mamma C had thought she left before they came down. Did she leave for school without him? But she would let him know if she did. Ricky was deeply confused.

That confusion twisted into panic when he knocked once, twice, with no response, then thought _what the hell_ and entered the room—entered into a hot mess. Nini’s room had been trashed. Drawers ripped open, clothes strewn about. The blankets and sheets were crumpled, some of the bedding melting to the floor. Something was wrong, so, so wrong. He called Nini’s moms to come upstairs, and they greeted the mess with a matching level of panic. If you knew Nini, you knew she was as neat and clean as a maid. If so much as a pencil on her desk was misplaced, she would freak and straighten it out. This…This wasn’t her.

They first tried calling her phone, but a ringing emerged from somewhere under all of the mess. Then it was 911. As her moms were making all these calls, Ricky stood in the middle of her room, trying to let the reality sink in. His hands tearing at his hair, fingers pressed at his temples. Tears threatened to escape as Ricky choked back a sob. _Where are you where are you where are you, my love?_ Nini’s moms had somehow not woken up in the middle of the night. With Mamma C’s white noise machine and Mamma D’s sleeping pills, whatever happened to Nini happened while they were sleeping. He felt especially worse after he assessed the room. Her navy blue backpack had gone missing, and so had a couple of his hoodies Ricky _knew_ she had in her possession. Had she left on purpose, or was she stolen in the night?

The boy knew his answer when his eyes locked on something silver and shiny on her bedside table. It was a small, simple ring. The nickel colored wire of a band twisting into the shape of a dove before resuming its role as a ring. Nini never parted with the ring, not since he slipped it on her finger himself, promising that he would be her’s forever. Promising to love her unconditionally. Promising that he would one day replace that dove with a diamond. 

So she left—on purpose. In the dead of night, gathering as much as she could fit into that blue backpack. Yet somehow she could not make room for that ring. Why did she leave? Leave her home, her friends, her family? And with that ring on her nightstand, it could only mean one thing, but Ricky still wondered why. Why had she left _him_?

An investigation opened. The police were quick to rule it as a runaway, but Ricky knew there was more to it. Her room looked as if it were ransacked by a tornado, and it couldn’t have been done my a girl as small as Nini. They filed a missing persons report. Searched through her phone. Checked security tapes from all over the city. But nothing came up. She had truly disappeared. 

147 days later, Ricky woke up with an ache in his back. His neck felt stiff, eyes heavy. He didn’t sleep well at all these days. Most nights he would be up until dawn, prowling the internet for _any_ trace of her. Or he would be going through his camera roll, his snapchat memories, yearning, searching for any remnant of what it felt like to be around Nini. 

Last night was no exception, even worse in fact. For this morning he peered out his window, seeing the sun creep over the trees, as a terrible, torturous realization struck him. 

It was May 22. It was her birthday today. 

Ricky mindlessly brushed his teeth. Splashed his face with cold water and slowly got dressed. He stared at his phone wallpaper—an image of him and Nini on Valentine’s day—for way too long. His phone started chiming with texts from his friends. 

_Gina: Hey Ricky, you okay? I’m missing her, too._

_Ashlyn: I’ll be here if you wanna talk today <3_

_EJ: Hey man, hang in there today._

_Big Red: I’m here for you, dude. I’ll always be here._

His friends were nice and all, but he dreaded the day to come. How could he face anyone when the only girl he’s ever loved was— _is_ supposed to turn 18 today? (Ricky had to constantly remind himself that she wasn’t dead, just gone. At least that’s what he had to believe or else he might just die himself.) Was she okay? Was she hurt? Does she still think of him? 

_Where did she go??_

Ricky put his hood up, and kept his hood up for the majority of the day. Most teachers knew better than to tell him otherwise. Everyone in the whole goddam school knew how much Ricky loved Nini. That boy glowed when she was around. And when word went around of her disappearance, it became an unsaid rule to let him be. He became dull and sad everyday. Snapping at anyone or anything that annoyed him in the slightest.

At lunch the friend group sat silently around the table. Ricky’s tray remained untouched in front of him, and instead he sat with his temple rested in the palm of his hand. Everyone was tense, not daring to bring up the missing brunette until—

“I’m sick of this. I’m sick of avoiding this. Nini is 18 today, and I fucking miss her.” Kourtney spoke, setting down her sandwich.

“You’re right. This feeling is never going to go away. We should talk about it. I miss her, too.” Carlos agreed. 

“I’ve been thinking about her a lot. Remember that time when Gina got chocolate ice cream all over her shirt, so Nini gave you—” EJ nodded towards Gina, “—her jacket and then spent the next two days talking about how she finally got the stain out?” EJ let out a sad chuckle. 

“Oh yeah, and that time when she wouldn’t let us buy any snacks at the movies, but it turns out she had, like, a whole buffet in her bag.” Ashlyn spoke up. “She was always ready for anything.”  
“I remember when I first met her in the second grade. She had this little pink sticker machine and made me this giant red heart. It could barely fit in that toy, but she made it for me because it ‘matched my name’” Big Red recalled. 

He dipped down to Ricky’s level, the curly haired boy’s head mostly hidden by his arm and hand. Everyone held their breath, not knowing if he would snap or not. “Ricky? Do you want to say something about Nini? A memory? It doesn’t have to be too deep or anything, but I think it would be nice to remember her.”

“She’s not dead, Red,” Ricky spat. “Don’t say that like she’s dead.”

“I know, I know she not dead.” Big Red remained calm despite his best friend’s attitude. “But if you could try? I think it would help.”

Ricky clenched his jaw, suppressing a snarky remark. He sighed deeply. His head slowly rose, his arm dropping down. Looking around the table, he saw his friends’ anxious faces, waiting for him to leave or throw something or hit someone. But he let his mouth open, searching for something to say. 

“I remember her smile” was the first thing he could think of. He expected to just feel even more sad, but instead a small weight was lifted, just letting himself talk about it. He saw some of the group relax, still not chiming in. He continued. “I remember how much she liked her red scrunchie. And how she would yell at me when I was being annoying” He chuckled a little bit, surprising his friends, surprising himself. “I remember when she named her stuffed bear Pascal—“

“Like from _Tangled_?”

“Yeah. It made no sense but she fucking loves that movie.” He started to observe the smiles on his friends’ faces, and for a second it felt like old times. Like when they could hang out it it would just be fun. Some of the group finally started chiming in.

“I remember the first time I did her makeup, she squirmed the whole time, but still didn’t complain because she knew how much I wanted to do it.”

“Oh and that time when she put hot sauce on her fries instead of ketchup.”

“That girl does not have any spice tolerance.”

Gina laughed, “No, no she does not.”

“I remember in last year’s spring musical, the dress they had in stock was about five sizes too big on her. When she tried it on she looked like she was drowning. It was hilarious.”

“Oh but she was such a wonderful Belle.” Seb swooned

“I know, right? She was amazing in that show.”

“I remember her voice,” Ricky said. “Her singing voice. I remember the first time I heard it, too. She was in her room singing and I was walking up the stairs. Nini didn’t know I was there yet, but I sat outside her door for like ten minutes, just listening.” A lazy, melancholy smile appeared on his face. But it didn’t last for long, for his expression started to darken. “And now, I don’t know if I’ll ever get to listen to it again.”

“Oh, Ricky—“ Ashlyn tried to comfort the boy, but he stood up and started to pack his things. 

“I…um—I gotta get to get going. I have a meeting with Mr. Davis in like two minutes. I have to go—I just need to go. Bye guys.”

And before any of his friends could object. Before any of his friends could see the tears starting to form in his eyes, Ricky darted out of the cafeteria.

When Ricky finally got home he fell face first onto his bed. He’s spent the entire afternoon and early evening at the Salazar-Roberts house, a habit he picked up over these months. At first it was to see if they had any news about Nini, and for him to just sit in her room and miss her endlessly. But over time he found other excuses to visit. Help bring in groceries, clean up around the house, or even to lift something heavy for Nini’s moms. He felt a responsibility towards those two women. Maybe it was to feel closer to Nini. Or maybe it was the guilt that he didn’t know where Nini went or why their daughter suddenly disappeared. Nonetheless, a visit to the household was routine.

With his face stuffed in his pillow, Ricky felt a wave of exhaustion overtake him. He’d gotten about two hours of sleep the night before, ate only an apple the entire day, and had his homework looming before him. All he wanted was some peace and possibly some sleep, but that was hard to come by these days.

Just as he was about to shut his eyes in attempts to take a nap, Ricky’s phone started ringing. No one really called him these days, so it was probably a telemarketer, but nevertheless he slipped his phone from his pocket. Maybe talking to some automated voice would be better than thinking of how he should have spent the day with Nini, celebrating her adulthood.

Not to his surprise, the caller ID was simply “Unknown,” but he slid his finger across the screen anyway.

“Hello?”

There was only silence on the other end for a moment. Ricky thought, _great, what a waste of time_ , but before he could hang up, a voice came through the other end. 

“Ricky?”

The boy sat straight up, his blood suddenly going very cold. No. No no no no. It couldn’t be. There was no way. Because if it wasn’t who he thought it was, it just might break him. His mouth gaped open, yet no sound emerged.

“Ricky? Are you there?” The soft, familiar voice spoke again. It was her. He was mostly sure of it now. It had to be her.

“Nini?” It felt like a forbidden word had escaped his lips. Ricky ran a hand through his hair, pulling slightly to spark some pain. To see if any of this was real.

There was a small sigh of relief at the other end of the phone. “Yes, it’s me. Ricky, look—“

“Nini, are you okay? What happened? _Where have you been?”_

“I really don’t have much time—“

“You gotta tell me something Neens, please—“

“1 am, the fourth streetlamp from the stop sign. _Don’t be late_.”

“What? Nini, what are you saying?”

“The one with the missing persons flyer. 1 am tonight.”

“What’s going on? Are you—“

But before he could finish his question, she had hung up. Silence filling his ears, Ricky sat on his bed, stunned. She had just called him. _Nini had just called him._ After almost five months of complete radio silence, he had just heard her voice. He had just spoken to her. _The love of his life had just spoken to him for the first time in five months._

There was still a lot he needed to know. A lot that she needed to tell him. Where had she gone? Why had she left? Was she okay? Ricky compiled the list of questions in his head, so many that it seemed to be endless. There was a lot he didn’t know right now, but there was one thing he did. 

Tonight, at 1 am, he would be standing at that streetlamp.

It was slightly humid out. Ricky had been watching a mosquito flutter around the lamp for about ten minutes. His heart pounded, anticipation coursing through his veins, He’d gotten to the meeting point about fifteen minutes early, sick of waiting anxiously in his room. He was about to see her. _About to see Nini._

It was 12:57, Ricky had been constantly checking his watch. He stared out into the darkness, just waiting for someone to arrive.

Then finally, there was a movement in the dark. The form of a small brunette came forward, just at the edge of the yellow gold light. She wore a dark gray flannel, about two sizes too big. Basic jeans. Worn tennis shoes. Her face was free of makeup, the shadows emphasizing the dark circles under her eyes.

But it was her. It was Nini.

Ricky’s breath hitched. He pinched himself, once, twice. The sting on his skin signaled that yes, this was real. Nini, gone for 148 days, was standing before him.

There was a moment, a moment of unsureness. He didn’t know if he should move, if he should run. Because surely this would just lead to more heartbreak. He could read it on her face, too. He saw the longing on her face, and the hesitation to act on it.

But that hesitation didn’t last for long. Soon enough Nini was running forward, crashing into Ricky, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his shoulder. Ricky stumbled from the impact, but quickly engulfed the small girl with his arms, his face pressed into her hair. 

The smell of her hair. The feel of her skin. She was here. She was all here. 

“Oh my god, Nini. It’s you. It’s really yo—“

Before he could finish his sentence, Nini pulled away, gripping his face in her hands and clashing their lips together. Everything was happening so fast, Ricky could barely register the feeling. The familiar feeling of her soft lips on his. 

Contrary to their desires, Nini pulled back, pressing their foreheads together. Ricky observed her wet cheeks, the taste of salt lingering on his lips. With the swipe of Nini’s thumb, Ricky realized that he’s been crying, too.

They stood there for a moment, soaking in each other’s presence. Finally. _Finally_ after all this time. She was here with him. 

“Nini,” he spoke, breaking the silence. “ _You have to tell me what’s going on.”_

She took a deep breath. “They’re only giving me five minutes. They know it’s my birthday, so just five minutes—“

“Who’s ‘they’?”

Nini shook her head. “We don’t have time—“

“Please, Nini you have to tell me something, you have to—“

“ _We don’t have time._ ”

Ricky looked into her honey brown eyes. He could see the urgency, sense the panic. And he knew. He wouldn’t have all his answers tonight. 

“One day. One day I’ll tell you everything. But not tonight.”

Ricky nodded. He kissed her nose. “I’ve missed you, Nini. _So, so_ much.” His voice was weak, echoing a sob.

“I’ve missed you, too. Ricky.”

“Sometimes I miss you so much, it’s like…it’s like I can’t breathe. And I can’t eat. I can’t sleep.”

“I know, Ricky. I know” She held his face a little tighter. “Ricky, I needed to see you just this one last time because I just need you to hear this. I love you, Ricky. More than life itself, I love you. You mean _everything_ to me. And if there was anything, _anything_ I could do to come back to you, I would. I would in a heartbeat. Please just know that I never wanted to leave you. I love you. I’ll love you always, okay?”

He offered the best smile he could. It was a strained one, trying to break through his already broken face. “I love you, too, Nini. Forever.”

She brushed his lips against his, and in the absence of her warmth he felt his heart sink. His voice was broken. “Love, I don’t know how I’m going to keep living without you.”

“Oh, Ricky"

“Every day is so hard. It feels like I’m drowning _all the time_. I miss you. I miss your voice, I miss being with you. I can’t go on, I can’t I can’t—“

“You are strong. I need you to be strong, okay? One day I will see you again—“

“ _Promise it.”_

“I promise. I promise that we will see each other again. And I will explain everything. I will explain why I’m gone. And everything will be okay. I promise. Now promise me that you’ll stay strong. That you’ll be around for me to keep my promise.”

Ricky was silent. 

“Ricky, promise me”

Silence. Silence accompanied by Ricky’s soft sobbing. 

“ _Ricky._ ”

He gathered himself. “I promise. I promise.”

There was suddenly a rusting near by. Nini’s eye’s widened, snapping her head towards the sound. When she turned back, she let her hands slide from his face to his chest. Ricky’s grip remained tight on her waist. 

“I need to go now.”

“Please, just a little longer. Just a little bit longer.”

Nini bit her lip, clearly nervous, but gave in, nodding just slightly. Ricky took his this chance to return something to her. 

He reached into his pocket were he packed the small, dove ring. When it caught Nini’s eyes, she spoke up.

“I can’t, they’ll see it.”

“Then you make sure they don’t see it. You hide it. But you must keep it. Please, Nini. This ring is forever yours. It can’t be with me. You _have_ to have it.”

Hesitating for a moment, she held out her hand in agreement. He slid the silver onto her finger. Finally, just one thing was right in the world.

On her tiptoes, she pressed one last kiss to his lips. It was gentle and slow. He savored the warmth of this. He focused on every point of contact there was. His chin against her’s. The whisper of noses on each other’s skin. And, like in all of his nightmares, she pulled away and the coldness returned. 

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

Ricky looked at her face. Really looked at it. The curve of her nose. The small crinkle in between her brows. The pink of her lips. The edges of her jaw, her cheekbone. He looked at it all. Trying to remember it. All of it. And then he shut his eyes. 

“Please,” he whispered. “Please go before I can see you walk away.”

He felt her hands roam. One last trace of her fingers on his lips. Her hands then clutched his wrists as he sensed her slowly back away. Bit by bit, her fingers traveled down the length of his own. And it wasn’t until his arm was extended in front of him that she gave his hands one last squeeze, then let go.

Ricky wasn’t sure how long her stood there afterwards. Eyes closed. Cheeks wet. Head swimming. And when his eyelids lifted, he stared ahead into the darkness, and the darkness stared right back. 

The next morning, Ricky awoke to the sun streaming in, casting a beam of light on his blue sheets. It took not a second too long for the events of the that night to come rushing back. For a moment he was positive he was dreaming. That he dreamed the kisses, the hands on his face. The sobs. The hastily spoken “I love you’s.”

But as he checked his nightstand for a small silver ring— band of silver twisting into the shape of a dove—it was gone. And he was sure. 

——————————

God must have been in a spectacular mood. The weather was nothing short of perfect. The sky was clear, a small breeze passing by every once in a while. Foot traffic was low. Small chatter filled the air as Ricky sat at a small table by his favorite coffee cart. 

Ricky decided to stay in New York City after he graduated Columbia. He’d done some internships with a small tech company during college, and once he graduated they happily offered him a permanent position. It was enough pay to get a small apartment to himself in his favorite neighborhood. Enough to afford a metro card, or even an Uber every once in a while. And to afford some hippy coffee every afternoon. 

After that night, Ricky found some peace. Though Nini still had to leave him for god knows what, he felt a little more sure that she would be okay fending for herself. He’d kept her promise. He stayed strong, he made it through these past five years all right. Though he missed her terribly, college was a fun experience. He had to admit that he’d thought of getting back out there. Thought of what it might be like to date someone new. But every time he tried, it felt wrong. Felt wrong knowing that she was out there somewhere, and that he would see her again.

Because he had to see her again. She promised it.

Ricky sat alone, sipping on a cold iced latte. He worked diligently on some coding with his laptop out in front of him, some loose notes crowding the small table, He figured that he could get a jump on his work for tomorrow. Despite the hustle and bustle of surrounding business, Ricky’s eyes were glued on the screen. 

“Hello, how can I help you today?”

“Hi, could I just get a small chai tea latte? Three sugar packets, please”

Ricky’s ears perked up at the familiar voice. His head shooting up from his crouched position. 

At the counter stood a slim brunette girl. She wore a flowy, floral dress. Her hair was silky and straight, falling slightly from her shoulder. She was facing the counter so her face was still hidden, but that voice. _Her voice_. It was painfully familiar. 

He kept staring as the barista handed her her drink. He kept staring at her when slender fingers, painted with red polish, gripped onto the dark blue coffee cup. He kept staring as she spun around, taking a slow sip of her drink. A soft, content smile appearing on her lips.

Her lips. A reddish pink that Ricky knew so well. Her eyes were the same honey brown. The curve of her nose the same. Her jawline and cheekbones were a little more refined, but her cheeks were still full. These past five years of age had turned her into a woman. Equally beautiful as before, but yet, a woman. 

But it wasn’t until her other hand came up to grip her coffee tighter until he saw it. A small silver dove decorating her finger.

He stood up so fast the metal chair grated so loudly against the cobblestone. Even though they were outside, some heads turned to look at him. But he didn’t care. He couldn’t care about anything. Not when one of those heads were none other than Nini Salazar-Robert’s.

Her mouth gaped up. Hands shaking, she almost dropped the drink in her hand. It was like that night all over again. The two standing opposite to each other, unsure of whether to move, whether to speak. 

“Nini,” he breathed, finally.

She let her mouth gape open for a few more moments before shutting it tightly. Discipling herself in a way Ricky’s never seen her do before. Wherever she’s been, it had hardened her up. Brushing her hands on her sides, Nini collected herself before sauntering over to the curly haired boy. 

Her brows creased. Ricky saw her mouth open to speak, and held his breath.

Nini looked him up and down. “I see you’ve kept your promise.” Was all she said. 

“Yes. I have” was all he thought to say. Was all he could say. Because it was true. If it wasn’t for that night, who knows where Ricky would be today. He would gave given himself up to grief a long, long time ago. "And I see you've kept your coffee order." He was surprised by the coolness in his voice. "Still using three sugar packets? That's...wow"

Nini laughed along with him. He felt a flutter in his chest that hadn't been felt in a while. She nodded her approval before clearing her throat, setting her coffee down onto his table, and pulling out the chair opposite to his. 

He watched carefully, the way she moved. How was she so calm? Because Ricky—oh boy—he was freaking out on the inside. 

“What…what are you doing?” He asked as Nini settled down onto the chair, smoothing out her dress. 

“I’m keeping my promise,” Nini folded her hands on the table in front of her, grinning up at the boy. “Take a seat, Ricky. And I’ll explain everything.”


End file.
